Veteran Education Program Receives Funding So It Won’t Run Out Anytime Soon

In return for our veterans’ sacrifices for our country, we provide them with many benefits, especially the tools and resources to find a new career path once leaving the military. One of the relatively new programs created to help veterans transition into high technology careers, is the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses, known as VET TEC programs.

These specially-designed courses facilitate veterans to gain the desired cutting-edge skills to secure employment in the US growing web development, computer science, and programming industries. The Department of Veteran Affairs recently announced that the VET TEC program received an additional $125 million in funding, designed to help the program be funded through 2023. So if you’re thinking about making a career change into tech, now is a perfect time. Keep reading to learn how to enroll in the VET TEC-approved programs by utilizing the VA education benefits payment.

Breakdown of the VET TEC Program:

• Everything About VET TEC
• What About VET TEC Program Eligibility?
• VET TEC Vs. GI Bill
• How Does VET TEC Work?
• Take Advantage of VET TEC Benefits

Everything About VET TEC

What is the VET TEC program?

The VET TEC program was initially launched as a pilot program in 2019 as a part of the Forever GI Bill. The program provides veterans access to courses that offer training in high-technology skills. Which covers programs like coding bootcamps and other trade schools. Including computer software, computer programming, data processing, information science, and media applications.

Do I qualify for the VET TEC program?

For those interested in joining the VET TEC program, there are a few requirements you will need to meet.

• You are no longer on active duty or are within 180 days from leaving active duty
• You are eligible for VA education benefits under the GI Bill, and
• You have at least one day left of GI Bill entitlement, and
• You have been accepted into a program by a VA-approved training provider.
• If you meet these requirements, you qualify to take advantage of the VET TEC program. To take the following steps, you will need to apply for the VET TEC program through the VA and obtain your Certificate of Eligibility.

What benefits do I receive through the VET TEC program?

Veterans accepted into the VET TEC program are provided with two main benefits. This includes their tuition for a full-time program, and money for housing during your training. However, there are a few things to keep in regarding housing. Online and In-person programs provide different monthly military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates. If you are unsure if the program you are applying for is online or in-person, reach out and ask. Some offer both, while some are only online programs.

What About VET TEC Program Eligibility?

Are you wondering how to apply for VET TEC approved programs and the respective eligibility criteria? If your answer to the following two questions is yes, congratulations, you are eligible for veteran education.

• Are you a veteran?
• Do you have a minimum of one day of unexpired GI Bill veteran benefits?

Once you are eligible for the VET TEC training program, the next crucial step is to evaluate your interest in different technical skills, such as JavaScript foundations, REACT, Ruby, web development, computer sciences, and others. That’s why it’s time to answer these self-reflecting questions:

• Do you want to secure high-paying employment?
• Are you exploring new opportunities and careers?
• Do you want to keep yourself up-to-date with the evolving technology?
• Can you enroll as a full-time student in a VET-TEC-approved program?

Your answer must be yes to all the above questions. Since you are a veteran, you must be ready to embrace the new challenge to learn advanced in-demand high-tech skills.

VET TEC Vs GI Bill

Veterans need to understand the difference between GI Bill and VET TEC to ensure their funds won’t run out sooner.

• Being enrolled in the VET TEC training, you’ll receive a monthly housing allowance (MHA) like GI Bill.
• VET TEC doesn’t consume the allocated GI Bill funds. As a result, you can make use of the GI Bill funds after completing the VET TEC education.
• VET TEC focuses on offering bootcamps and training in technology, such as information technology and computer sciences.
• The student should complete the technical training and find relevant employment as mentioned by VA.
• It’s essential to meet all the requirements mentioned above for the training schools to be eligible for the VET TEC tuition reimbursement.
• VET TEC essentially funds veteran education and technology training, while the GI Bill allows the veterans to visit the degree-offering educational institutions.
• If particular training outcomes aren’t graduation and employment, the school won’t receive VET TEC funding reimbursement.
• The veterans must attend the VET TEC training as full-time students.
• Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) spouses, active duty service members, and some other personnel can’t attend the VET TEC approved education programs.
• A VET TEC program has limited funding per federal fiscal year.

How Does VET TEC Work?

Veteran Affairs (VA) undertakes an agreement with the training schools offering technology bootcamps resulting in employment placement. Hence, VA evaluates the performance of the training schools, progress, and successful employment of the students to reimburse the VET TEC funding.

As a result, the VAP pays the initial 25 percent of the tuition and fees to the training provider once the veteran enrolls and attends the class. Next, VA pays the other 25 percent upon completing a Bootcamp and training program.

Finally, VA pays the remaining 50 percent once the veterans secure employment in the relevant field of training. The training school must present the employment documentation of the students to secure the final reimbursement.

Take Advantage of VET TEC Benefits

After reading the above guide, you must be thrilled to enroll in a VET TEC approved training program. Your goal is straightforward – permanent employment in the high-tech industries. All you need to do is search for Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses.

The good news is that you can enroll in the award-winning Four-Month Intensive Bootcamp or Weekend Bootcamp offered by LEARN academy. Since their coding bootcamp is remote, this allows students to join their coding courses from just about anywhere in the United States.

This vocational coding school, provides equal access to veterans education benefits, knowledge, and career development. The primary goal of the LEARN academy is to build an evolved and equitable tech industry by offering top-rate career services and VET TEC-approved technical courses.